Something For Christmas
by queenb81385
Summary: A missing scene from "A Wonderful Lie" because I'm so angry about the lack of Cameron in the episode... House/Cameron


"Something for Christmas"

He saw it the second he walked into his office. A box with a bow. Simple enough, but still decorative in a way that implied the wrapping had been done with attention and care. He strained his brain to think who it could be from before simply walking over to it. He smiled a small, nearly invisible, smile when his eyes took in the loopy "G". He knew exactly who it was from.

It had been at least two weeks since the last time they had spoken so it surprised him that she had taken the time to purchase a present for him. He entertained the idea that it had been a secret purchase, one she had hid from Chase, for a small moment before deciding that she had probably told Chase all about it. Knowing Chase he had probably chastised her for the gift. But knowing himself as well he knew he would have chastised her as well had she had the nerve to physically give it to him.

Tentatively he picked up the box and stared at it. He hadn't expected a present from her. He had always suspected that she had felt obligated to give him Christmas presents, like first graders who give their teachers presents for the holiday, simply because she was his fellow and in a way he was her teacher. But she wasn't his fellow anymore. This present had been given out of genuine free will.

Uncharacteristically of him, he slowly opened the present. It was as if he was trying to preserve the paper or the warm feeling in his heart that had been present the moment he saw that loopy "G". Once the paper had all been removed, he came face to face with a box and slip of paper. Picking up the paper and setting the box down on his desk he looked down to read. Scrawled in her handwriting were six words _Just a little something. Allison Cameron_. He smirked at her choice of words.

He picked the box back up and opened it. Smiling widely he pulled two tickets to the Monster Truck rally in January. He had been trying to get tickets but it seemed his guy hadn't been able to deliver. Hearing movement behind him he quickly stuffed the tickets and the note into his pocket and the box and paper into the trash.

"They're removing her tumor now. She can start on the chemotherapy tomorrow." Foreman informed him before looking curiously at the box in the trash. "Did you get yourself another present?"

House nodded. "That's exactly what I did." He walked over and sat at his desk trying in vain to look busy.

"But there's no one in here to con." Foreman stated confused

House rolled his eyes. "Alright, I confess it was from Cuddy. It was her thong."

Foreman sighed. "Merry Christmas." he said gruffly before turning and exiting the office.

House smiled and pulled the tickets back out to look at them once again. They were good seats. Not as good as the ones he had when he had taken Cameron with him but still really good. He was impressed. Putting them back in his pocket he reached to the bottom drawer on his desk and pulled out the small wrapped box he had been hiding in there.

He had bought her present weeks ago. He didn't know why he bought it, he just had. He had been with Wilson, who had been shopping for his mother. They had been in Tiffany's for nearly an hour and he had been bored so he started looking around. Then his eyes had fallen on the simple and delicate platinum chain that dangled with a perfect snowflake. He remembered how beautiful she looked with snow in her hair and before he knew it he was buying it.

He remembered the suspicious look on Wilson face when he didn't flinch at the price. House had simply told him that it was for his own mother who loved the snow and Wilson let it go. It wasn't until a few hours later that the reality of what he had done hit him. He had spent way too much money on the necklace, he knew that. He entertained the idea of taking it back several times. But he had brought it to work that morning with the intention to give it to her. Anonymously of course, because there was no way he was letting anyone see him give it to her; and, he was certainly not going to be standing there like an idiot while she opened it.

Sighing, he slid it into the pocket of his jacket and headed towards the elevator to brave the raging Christmas party that was sure to be going on downstairs.

xxxxxx

He walked out of the elevator and was proven right. Quickly he scanned the room for Cameron and found her standing with his new fellows and his old. He accosted the first nurse he could find and handed her the box. "This was sent to my office by mistake. I guess not everyone has gotten the memo that Dr. Cameron does not work for me anymore. Can you make sure she gets it?" he asked as politely as he could manage.

"Sure, Dr. House." she said before taking it straight over to Cameron.

Despite the fact that Cuddy and Wilson were standing at the exit and he knew he have to talk to them, House hadn't taken long to get to the exit. Wilson and Cuddy gave him the perfect opportunity to watch Cameron open her present. Just because he didn't want to be there when she opened it, didn't mean he didn't want to see her reaction. He made small talk while keeping his eyes trained on her. He watched her confused expression as the nameless nurse handed her the gift explaining that it had been sent up to diagnostics on accident. Cameron smiled warmly at the nurse. _She probably knows the nurse's__name and everything_ House thought to himself.

"Who's it from?" Chase asked.Cameron shrugged.

"I'm not sure."

"Aren't you going to open it?" Kutner asked.

Cameron smiled and began to slowly tear at the paper in the same way that House had torn at his. The small note card caught her eye. _Just a little something. -G_. She quickly pocketed it so Chase didn't see it. He didn't know that she had bought House a gift and he certainly didn't need to know that House had bought her something. Especially something upon further investigation had come from Tiffany's. "It's from my sister." she quickly covered knowing they were waiting to know who had sent it.

Cameron opened the box slowly and smiled as she saw its contents. While everyone oohed and awwed at the necklace she discreetly looked for House. When she couldn't find him she looked for Wilson.

"Do you want me to put it on you?" Chase asked.

Cameron finally spotted Wilson. Ignoring Chase's question she pulled out her phone. "I'm going to go call my sister. I'll be right back." she said closing the box and walking off.

xxxxxx

Wilson was standing by the exit and talking with Cuddy when Cameron approached him. "Have you seen House?"

Wilson shook his head. "No. Why?" he asked curiously.

Cameron shrugged. "No reason. I just wanted to wish him a Merry Christmas."

Wilson nodded and then his eyes caught the robin's egg blue box in her hand. "You got something from Tiffany's?"

Cameron shrugged still looking around for House. "Yeah. A necklace." she said distracted. "From my sister." she added.

"Do you mind?" Cuddy asked gesturing to the box implying she wanted to see it.

Cameron smiled. "Not at all." she said opening the box.

"That's simply beautiful." Cuddy said appraisingly.

Wilson looked at her curiously. He recognized it. "You said you're sister gave that to you?"

"Um... yeah."

Wilson sighed. "You know House just walked outside when you came over. He's probably still in the parking lot."

Cameron smiled. "Thank you. Excuse me." she said before walking out the door in search of House.

xxxxxx

House had only made it to his car when she found him. "House." she yelled.

He turned around and looked at her. "Obviously Wilson sold me out." he said to her once she got to him.

She rolled her eyes. "Obviously."

The two of them stood in the cold for a few silent moments before he finally spoke again. "Did you need something?"

She smiled. "Thank you for my present."

House nodded. "I don't know what you're talking about." he said candidly. He had been pleased with her reaction. It had been a long time since he had seen her eyes light up they way they did when she was happy. "And thank you for mine. How did you get the tickets?" he added.

"Wilson put me in touch with your guy." she confessed.

House smirked. "Well, that would explain why he kept saying he had nothing for me."

She nodded. "Yeah." she said before they lapsed into silence once again.

House watched as she shivered. "I can't believe you came out here without a jacket."

"I wanted to catch you before you left." she admitted.

He nodded and when she shivered again he took pity on her. "So... you like it?"

She smiled widely. "It's beautiful. It's too much."

House moved to take the box. "I could take it back." he suggested.

She pulled the box in closer to her chest snatching it away from him. "No it's mine."

He laughed. "Hand me the box and turn around." When she did he gently removed the necklace from the box and opened the clasp. Slipping his hands around the front of her neck, his fingers grazing the delicate skin made her shiver in a whole different way. He gently placed it around her neck while she pulled her hair out of the way. He shut the clasp and let his hands linger longer than necessary on her neck before removing them.

She turned back around and smiled at him. "How does it look?"

He reached out and straightened the snowflake. "It looks fine." he told her while thinking _It looks beautiful.  
_  
She rolled her eyes. "Just fine?"

House shrugged. "Better than fine." he offered.

Cameron smiled knowing she wasn't going to get anything better from him. Silence overlapped them again. "Thank you." she said gently touching the necklace.

"You already said that."

"Well, I thought it bared repeating."

House nodded and smiled at her. "I'm glad you like it."

Cameron took a tentative step towards him.

"What are you doing?" he asked curiously.

"I'm going to hug you." she said informatively.

"Why?"

"Because I love my present and because it's Christmas and because I'm cold." she said before throwing caution to the wind and wrapping her arms around him.

House hesitated for a moment before returning the embrace. He knew it couldn't last too long and that it had to end so he pulled away. But his desire to remain touching her won out so then he began rubbing her arms slightly for warmth. The longer they stood there, him rubbing her arms and her looking at him the way she was, the more tense it became. Finally he stopped and moved away from her. "You should get back inside. It's cold and Chase is probably waiting on you."

Cameron nodded knowing he was right. "Merry Christmas House."

House smiled at her. "Merry Christmas Cameron."


End file.
